Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday jointly inaugurated the ‘India-France Year of Innovation’ and the ‘India-France Innovation Forum’, hours after announcing to elevate the decades-old ties between the two countries to a “special strategic partnership”.
“Mumbai is the city of dreams. I can’t think of a better place to launch the India-France Year of Innovation,” Macron said while addressing the innovation forum at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel.
He underscored India’s contribution to innovation by naming Indian CEOs who were leading global companies, saying, “The CEO of Alphabet is Indian. The CEO of Microsoft is Indian. The CEO of IBM is Indian. The CEO of Adobe is Indian. The CEO of Palo Alto Networks is Indian. The CEO of Chanel is from Kolhapur, right here in this state…India does not just participate in global innovation; India leads it.’’
Addressing the conference, PM Modi said the ‘Year of Innovation’ would bring together two innovation hubs – India and France.
“Today, two of the world’s biggest innovation hubs are coming together. When we talk about India and France, our relationship is not just about innovation, but also about trust and shared values. With this very thought, President Macron and I have decided to celebrate the year 2026 as the India-France Year of Innovation. This is not just our celebration, but also a shared commitment,” he said.
Modi highlighted India’s growing startup ecosystem, saying that thanks to the Startup India programme, the country has become the world’s third-largest startup hub, with the number of unicorns rising from four in 2014 to over 120 today.
“From India’s vibrant startup ecosystem to its world-class research labs, a new spirit of ‘can-do’ optimism is emerging. Thanks to the Startup India programme, the country has, in just one decade, become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem,” he said.
The ‘Year of Innovation’ will promote industrial collaboration and people-to-people connect, with special events being held across cities in both countries, focusing on science, technology and innovation, said a video posted by the PMO India’s Youtube channel after the closed-door event.
The two countries also announced the ‘Indo-French innovation network’, a digital platform backed by the government and led by industry, which is billed by innovators for innovators, as per the video.